Death For Another Day
by TaraRae89
Summary: Years have passed since the rebellion but Gale's job will lead him back to a District he swore to never return to. His mission is simple: keep her alive & then leave asap. However, life has a way of changing our plans. Just maybe healing will take place.
1. Chapter 1

Death for Another Day

"Life makes love look hard" – T. Swift

**Chapter 1**

District 2

It started out as any other month does. Midnight, February 1st, a thick file is deposited outside my door. I grab it after the mandatory five minute waiting period is over. This month I have to be on top of my game and actually make some money or I'll be back in the woods hunting for my dinner.

Last month, the anniversary of the bombing at the Capitol, I was completely off. I let my target get away three times before someone else made a move. This month I would start immediately. If my competition was even a few hours behind me I could get in two kills, three if they were lazy. Plus, my bag was already packed, sitting by the door. I would only have to prepare any specialty items needed for unique targets.

The file weight made me frown; it was very light. Not many targets to choose from this month. Five teams including myself would get this same file. I would be surprised if there were more than three or four targets. I sat at my desk and casually flipped it open.

My blood went cold. The first emotion I'd felt in years raced through me, igniting many more I'd forgotten I had. Terror. Dread. Nausea. Disbelief. Anger. Before the last emotion could be placed I had picked up my bag, the file, and rushed out the door.

I paced back and forth at the train station in District 2. The next train to District 12 was in a half an hour. And even after boarding the train it would be hours before the arrival to the land I avoided at all costs.

I called my housekeeper, Berta, and told her not to expect me for a few days and to make the guest room up.

Once the train finally started rolling toward my home land I opened the file and read it, becoming sick in my stomach again at seeing the picture on the first page. I read all the information, except for the name. I still wouldn't let my mind think it after all those years.

Last known residence was District Twelve in Victor's Village. Married, no children. Moderate to Excellent self defense skills, especially when threatened… Blah, blah, blah all things I knew better than anyone. Finally, I let my eyes rest on the name. _Katniss Everdeen Mellark._ I've spent my whole life since the rebellion trying to forget that name, that girl.

My final thought before my sleeping pill took affect was that I hope I am not too late.

Half an hour before the train arrived the sleeping pill wore off. I made a plan, probably the worst plan in the history of assassin plan making. The plan came down to rescuing the intended target which would have all kinds of nasty consequences not limited to loosing my job, being on the run for the rest of my miserable life if I wasn't killed by one of my 'coworkers', having to relive the painful memories that destroyed my life once already, and of course being in the same room as Katniss. There was no other choice; no one could protect her but me. Even that was a stretch against four other merchants of death. I did have the home court advantage so it might be possible.

District 12

The train station wasn't crowded; District 12 still wasn't a hot spot for business or tourism. The first place I would look for the target would have to be at her house, then the bakery, then family….and last the woods. She was safest there. I walked down the familiar streets with the unfamiliar new buildings. My long winter coat with the high collar helped me blend in. No one recognized me as I walked on, not even the ones I had rescued from a fiery death so many years ago. I just had to make sure not to run into my mother or siblings. I cringed inwardly at the thought of my family. I did miss them but this was not a social visit.

My heart pounded in fear as I reached her house. She could already be dead, laying in a pool of her own blood. A gravel path lead up to the big house with clean lines, a front porch, and a garden peaked around from the side of the house. The flowers in the front, primroses, made my heart sink. They looked so innocent against the tender yellow clapboard. Prim. I almost turned around right then but reality was too grave.

Standing on the porch I heard laughter. _Katniss._ She was still alive. Relief flooded through me, and I knocked on the door.

Peeta opened the door and stared at me with an open mouth. Not much about him had changed, still blonde and in my opinion useless.

"You are not welcome here," he said in his politic way.

"Too bad. Let me in." I never had his way with words.

"Peeta, who is that? You didn't tell me anyone was coming," Katniss called from some room behind him.

"No one dear, just a visitor that lost his way," he turned and replied to her.

"Good bye," he looked me straight in the eyes with a fierceness that I had never seen before from him. Then he calmly shut the door.

I sighed because nothing with Katniss and Peeta is ever easy. I inspected the door frame, buying time for Peeta to walk away, and then kicked in the door.

Surprise and startled screams came from inside. I let myself in and wandered into the living room where Katniss stood wide eyed and bless his heart, Peeta had a shot gun. They must being doing well to have such a luxury.

"Put it down, Peeta. I don't want to waste my energy on you." Wary is the only emotion that I am accustomed to feeling in the past five years.

"Gale Hawthorne," she whispered and sank into the carpet.

Peeta just kept the gun pointed level at my chest. "This is your last warning. Leave."

Rather than gracing him with an answer I swiftly cut around Katniss sitting on the floor and grabbed the gun out of his hands. Per typical of the inexperienced hand, he wasn't holding it very tightly.

I went to take the rounds out but laughed out loud when the gun wasn't even loaded. "You really expect to protect anything with a gun that isn't loaded?"

That apparently upset Katniss into action. She leaped up and smacked me. Katniss always was a better fighter than Peeta. "How dare you show yourself here!"

"You are lucky I am here Katniss." I took time to look at her. Still wearing a braid and still wearing boots that had mud all over them, but somehow older and stronger. She also had those beautiful gray eyes that I see in my dreams even now.

"Oh really? Because I can think of plenty of reasons that this will be the low light of my year." Bitter had apparently come with the age.

"There really isn't time to explain. We have to leave now."

Her face contorted. Repulsed, she spat, "I am not going anywhere with you. Ever."

Somewhere off in the distance I heard a hovercraft coming. That only meant one thing. Team Raiz. They were the only ones that made a public display of what they did with something as ostentatious as hovercraft. It was meant to be a symbol of fear, that they were coming and there was nothing you could do. Why the government let them do this was something I wasn't privy to knowing. In all my dealings with my "boss" discreet was the key word. Katniss had a pretty high price on her head something that would interest Team Raiz into quick action.

Great. Team Raiz had five members. One to drive, two to enter and two to guard the exits. There was only one of me.

A soft rumble came from the roof as two men dropped down. It was too late to evacuate.

"What was that?" Peeta questioned.

"That is death. The death that has come for Katniss. Katniss, please get in the closet and do not come out. This isn't an insult to your abilities. This just makes it harder for them to succeed. Peeta, do you have bullets for this?" I motioned to the gun on the floor.

He reached into a box on the floor and got them out. The team was inside the house now. Their footsteps echoed on the tile upstairs. Katniss was still not in the closet so I shoved her in. She banged on the door once but then stilled as she could hear the intruders coming down the stairs over her head.

"Don't shoot until you can see their eyes. We want them as casual as possible. Laugh if you can."

Peeta faked a laugh. In a loud voice he said ", Oh dear, you are the best story teller ever. I have one for you though…just let me get a drink from the kitchen first."

That was actually highly intelligent of him. They would think she was alone in the living room.

The first masked man came around the stairs and stared straight into the barrel of Peeta's gun. He fired once but missed as the man ducked and rolled. Plenty of opportunity for me to take care of him. I stepped from behind the couch and dug my knife into the back of his neck as he stood up facing Peeta. The second man, wisely following several paces behind was prepared for Peeta and fired his energy rounds as he came down. Peeta was smart enough to move out of his range.

The man retreated surprisingly. Then shots went off all around us as the goons guarding the exits fired into the house. Windows crashed into a million pieces, light fixtures exploded around us. "Get down," I yelled.

The shots ceased momentarily and the man in the stairs bounded down. I took the gun from Peeta and put a bullet through the intruder's neck. The only part not really covered by body armor.

The silence inside the house must have cued the guards that it was their turn to have a shot at the kill. Both came in simultaneously. I really had no plan on how to take them out. The element of surprise was my only advantage. As one entered the living room through kitchen the closet door peaked open and an arrow flew out, nailing the guard in the neck. The guard went down and the closet door shut softly. That was my Katniss.

With no back up the last guard should not be a problem but he seemed to have disappeared. I motioned to Peeta to stay put and whispered to Katniss in the closet to stay inside as cleared the kitchen, the entry, and the study. That left only the bathroom and the door that lead into an unknown room at the end of the hall. I cleared the bathroom just be sure but the man wasn't hiding in the tub. I heard the man reporting to the driver from behind the door.

"No one even reported seeing her. Maten, Gregor, and Frieda are all dead. This might sound crazy but I think they were-"

I burst into the spare bedroom as it turned out just in time to find the man setting fire to the bed. Good choice on his part but I shot him as I entered. He had no chance. I put the fire out with my jacket and returned to the living room. Katniss was out of the closet and clutching Peeta. She never could listen for long.

"Could you take Katniss to the nearest neighbor's house and ask them to clothe her? Something she would never wear." I looked Peeta directly in the eye. He would do as I requested because I had just saved them both.

"Why?" Katniss looked at me with an expression that only reflected hurt.

"Because you need to not look like yourself. Go, now. I will explain later. There just isn't time now." I told her softly.

They left and I looked around at the ruins. The clock was still ticking so I gave myself three minutes to think.

"We have to go somewhere safe. District Four. We have to lead them to believe something might have already happened to her so the other teams will focus on the other targets. No one above me knows I've gone rogue, yet," I said to myself. I looked around the room the table in the corner was the family apothecary book that Katniss had worked on so many years ago another volume appeared to be below it. I picked both up and looked at the mantel two framed pictures sat up there one of a wedding day and one of Primrose. She was sparkling in a blue dress after Katniss won the Hunger Games the first time. I took the one of Prim down, broke the frame and slid the still in the book. Then I walked to the closet and pulled out her bow and arrows which had been stored there along with her father's hunting jacket.

I put most of it in my bag and walked to the kitchen. I turned on the gas stove so that no fire would light and let the propane escape into the room. I reached up, shut the air vents and put a towel under the closed door to the outside. Once the other door to the kitchen was shut I placed towel under there too. I lit another towel next to the one blocking in the gas and left the room. That would give just enough time for everything to fill up. I walked out without turning back.

At the nearest neighbor I found Katniss in a flowing green dress with white lace trimmings, long coat, and tan scarf around her neck. White lace gloves and dark brown short boots covered her to keep her warm. Her hair was down, gently flowing in many directions. She was more feminine than I had ever seen her. Great, I am sure this Katniss will show up in my dreams to haunt me until the grave. Peeta was also at a lost for words as he just stared at her from across the room.

"Is this good?" she asked me.

"Great." I muttered turning away. "Time to go."

"Not until I get some answers."

"Later Katniss, I promise. We just have to get out of district twelve alive." I tried looking at her forcefully but she just held her ground. It seems that five years has not ebbed her hatred. Forgiveness is completely out of the question.

I turned to Peeta. "Tell her it's a good idea to leave now. We can talk on the train."

Peeta paused then took Katniss' hand. "Let's go with him. He did save our lives today."

She glared at him but I could tell she would give into Peeta, the dear husband. So Katniss thanked the neighbors for the clothes and we left just as the sun was setting into a fiery red mess.

Of course one of the reasons I wanted to leave so quickly is to avoid the explosion. Right as we were making our way out of the neighbor's abode Katniss' house went up in flames with a loud rumbling boom.

Katniss' face showed pure terror as she raced toward the house that had once been her home. I grabbed her by the waist and her fists slammed into my chest repeatedly until Peeta guided her into his arms.

"How could you? Those people…" The accusation in her voice reminded me of the day after the bombing. "How could you?" she repeated over and over.

I thought she would weep but not a tear rolled down her cheek. Peeta dragged her after me and we went silently into the night hoping to catch the last train.

Author's Note:

Hello! I'm back with my new story. It is much more serious than my whim of a one-shot. I told myself I wouldn't post anything until I finished writing the story completely. Well, I haven't quite finished but I have over half so I thought I would post the first chapter. I need a little encouragement so please review. As for updates….I am not sure yet. Feel free to voice your opinion. Thank you for taking time to read.

I also have a wonderful beta. Thank you MiaCara.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

There was apart of me that hoped she would have forgiven me by now or at least been willing to consider it. Blowing up her house only sent her further away from me. Why did I even care?

Once on the train we sat in a small compartment in the middle. Peeta and Katniss sat on the same bench, but far from each other. They must be fighting.

I opened up my case and gave Katniss her things from the house. Her eyes meet mine for the first time without loathing. She said quietly ",Thank you."

"We need some explanations Hawthorne." Peeta was still calm on the outside though frustration leaked into his voice.

"What would you like to know?"

"Let's start with why four men showed up at our house with guns trying to kill Katniss."

"She is on this month's hit list along with three others. There is a pretty high price on her head." That made Katniss pale.

"That seems highly unlikely," Peeta said but he avoided eye contact.

"He's telling the truth. Even if it isn't something we don't want to hear," Katniss defended. "He was always good at that."

"Why would the government that Katniss helped put in power be trying to kill her?" Peeta questioned.

"I don't know. I wasn't given that information. 90% of hitlists are foreign schemers attempting to mass murder and incite rebellion so their home countries may step in. The other 10% are treasonous citizens that cannot go to trial because they would reveal top level guarded information to the public and without doubt be punished with a death sentence." I explained.

"Your fancy job in District 2 is being an assassin?" Katniss exclaimed. "That's disgusting."

I laughed, "Yes."

Peeta had a very troubled look on his face. "That isn't right. We wanted an open government that doesn't keep secrets. That doesn't go around freely killing its' citizens. That wasn't like it was before."

"It isn't like they gun down mobs, kills children for sport, or prohibits free trade. They are just trying to protect the infancy of this country while it learns to stand on its' own feet."

"By killing Katniss."

"That troubles me too. I'm obviously not going to let anyone lay a hand on her." My protectiveness bothered Peeta, but it probably bothered me more.

"We should go talk to the president. I was promised a private audience whenever I was ready to talk," Katniss suggested.

I pondered this a moment. "Maybe later, but not now. We might get shot on arrival."

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"We are going to my safehouse." I left out the part about also taking the time to make some money.

"Gale, this doesn't change things between us. I still can't forgive you. I see her every night, reminding me what you did. Saving me won't bring her back." The worry lines etched her face were only proof.

"I am not looking for redemption." I left the car and went to the dining hall. It still hurt. I found another empty car to spend the remainder of the trip in. I planned for my next target and what to do with Katniss and Peeta.

District 5

My safehouse was on the second story of a mundane building. Due to all the power produced here a large city had sprung up. I paid cash every month for this place and no one had ever seen me before.

The living arrangement was sparse. I only had a bed, chair, table, and small night stand. There was only one pot and one pan in the kitchen, with one glass, one fork, ect.

I gave Peeta some cash and sent him into the market. I also told him to get a hair cut and some new clothes.

"Katniss stays here." Then I left not to return until that night.

At the bank the teller gave me a hard time about closing my accounts. She told me it would not be possible to withdraw such a large sum at one time. So instead I ended up with half of my savings. The other half could be picked up tomorrow if the government didn't seize them.

In the middle of the town square everyone was busy. The section with imports was the busiest and most diverse so I wandered around trying to over hear some information on Guto Morse. This tactic is terrible, as is any that relies on luck but it would have to do for now.

Luckily, this target was a foreign mark. I didn't have to question if it was another unsuspecting citizen like Katniss waiting to perish at the hands of a government they trusted. Guto was not only forming his own rebellion group, he was embezzling, and bringing illegal immigrants which would not doubt support his tirade.

Eventually I caught sight of one of Guto's know associates and followed him to a building perfect for the operation. When no one was around I placed bugs. The bugs are to learn where Guto will make his next appearance. This requires waiting.

Waiting is the hardest part of my job. While I am waiting someone else could be killing my mark. Working for nothing rubs me the wrong way. I always liked snares and traps that worked for me even while I wasn't there. Too bad hunting marks aren't that easy.

Back at the safehouse, Katniss was asleep in my bed. Peeta was still out running errands. I set up my listening device receiver with my headphones on listening to nothing at this point, I watched Katniss sleep.

Sleeping Katniss is peaceful and tender. Her face gives nothing away about the hard life she has lived. At one point she rolls over and looks straight at me, terrified.

"Gale," she whispered and falls right back to sleep.

As evening approaches chatter picks up at Guto's place. Most of it is boring 'have you heard' nonsense but finally I get a high pitched woman that asks a monotone man if he plans to come tomorrow night for the special announcement on the second floor.

Guto will be there. Second floor isn't a good place for a sniper shot which is my preferred method. It gives me a head-start incase any of his followers want revenge. It also sends a message: Don't mess with Panem.

I cleaned up the equipment as the sun set. Peeta is still not back which surprises me. It surprises Katniss when she wakes up too.

"Should we go look for him?" she asked.

"No." It was too risky. He would come back or he wouldn't. I let my mind wander a little be too far down the what would happen if he didn't scenario.

After half an hour Katniss declares, " I will go look for him if he does not return shortly and you will not stop me."

He did return though with an excuse about being lost and a bald head. I don't think Katniss appreciated the bald head but didn't say anything about it.

We ate dinner in almost complete silence.

"Tomorrow, Peeta can take you to get a hair cut, though I don't think bald would be an appropriate choice." She didn't think it was funny.

"What are you going to do?" Peeta inquired.

"Work." Then I left the safehouse to visit my favorite place in District 5, Dixie's Marsh. It was much like the Hob back home. I got to listen to stories about fights, exchange money for jerky, and watch local hunters and gatherers bring in their hauls.

By the time I got back Katniss and Peeta were asleep in my bed. I couldn't help but be jealous. They had each other through all of this. When it was over, they would go back to their lives together. I wouldn't even have the choice of going back to the way my life was before. This whole episode would only end up digging me into an emotional pit.

Peeta didn't even get an extra blanket or pillow while he was out so I stretched out on the floor fully clothed, took a sleeping pill, and went to sleep.

"Peeta, I feel kind of bad for making him sleep on the floor like that," Katniss said somewhere very far away.

"He kills people for a living Katniss, he can handle it," Peeta replied equally as far away.

"I can't believe he goes around killing people! I thought he did enough of that during the rebellion." That came sharply into focus.

"Katniss, is it really much of a stretch? The only thing he was ever good at was killing animals in the woods. Why wouldn't he turn that into killing for a profit?"

"The only thing that I was ever good at was killing animals in the woods! I don't go around killing people for money." Katniss retorted.

"You aren't much different that him Katniss." That was unexpected coming from Peeta.

Shocked Katniss said, "How could you say that? I did what I had to, to survive. You did too. Even in the rebellion, I only killed when I had to."

"Prim was part of the rebellion and she never killed any one." That sent Katniss over the edge. She made no reply and when I opened my eyes I saw her go out the door.

Peeta glanced at me. He didn't say anything.

I chased after Katniss but had a hard time keeping up with her. It's not like I could go around calling her name and she was as quick as I remember her.

As I stalked her I reviewed this morning's argument. Peeta was clearly steering the conversation, pushing it toward the rebellion, toward murder, and toward Prim, knowing he would elicit such a reaction. Why would he do that? Katniss always ran away from such confrontations.

Katniss crossed the bridge up ahead to the industrial district. A large, sprawling district that got rough the farther you went out.

"Catnip! Wait up will you?" I finally called after her.

She stopped cold and waited for me to reach her side. "Don't call me that."

"It's not like I could run around yelling you name."

She looked weathered. Her hair was messy and the frown lines on her face looked permanate. Her eyes reflected hurt but tears had not welled up. Nothing at all like the peaceful sleeping Katniss yesterday.

"What do you want Gale?"

"I just want to keep you alive."

"Why? What good am I?" She paused. "What purpose do I have now?"

I paused at that. Rage grew toward Peeta. How could he do this to her? "Don't be ridiculous. You are the reason that people aren't starving while working themselves sick. So many care about you. We have a better world because of you."

She just glared at me. I led her toward a small park down the street.

The trees were beautiful. Tall and strong. Each had survived war and still grew. Soft yellow blossoms floated down.

After we both were sitting on the bench I asked her, "Does Peeta upset you a lot?"

"That is none of your business Gale. Don't act like we are friends and that you care about what is going on in my life." She stiffened.

"This is going to be really hard if we are all fighting with one another. Can I call for a truce? We don't have to make up and be friends but we don't always have to pick a fight either. We can peaceably tolerate each other until this is over."

More blossoms floated down around us. It created an illusion that we were in a world to ourselves.

"That's a good idea," she answered softly.

"Come on, Katniss. Let's get you a make over and some new clothes, eh?"

"Alright Cinna." She smirked.

While I couldn't convince her into another dress, she did pick out a fluttery green top and a practical pair of jeans.

At the hair dresser Katniss balked at everything. Finally, the hair dresser started snipping away while Katniss protested. When she was done I was impressed with the difference. Katniss had bangs side swept across her forehead, pieces framed her face with different lengths, and the back was only just below her shoulders.

I smiled. "It looks great!"

She muttered out the door about how Cinna never made her do anything like that and he had worked for the Capitol.

I took her to the open market and let her buy whatever she wanted to eat. She laughed a lot with vendors and she wove her way through the market as if she had been there her whole life.

I stopped by the bank and was pleasantly surprised that I could have my money. I hid it from Katniss and from the world.

"Look Gale, look how big these strawberries are! We didn't have strawberries like this in District 12." She waved a large strawberry in my face as we walked back to the safehouse.

She so quickly shifted from distant to friendly with me. It must have been stressful being angry at me all the time. A fuzzy thing called hope then reared its ugly head. Hope that one day I could claim forgiveness. I tried to swiftly kill it but it wouldn't be strangled without the help of Katniss. She only fed as we walked on.

"Gale, what did you think of those parsnips? I thought they were ridiculously over priced." She rattled on about the market vendors but I tuned her out to keep from growing attached to this behavior.

When we got back Peeta looked miffed we had been gone so long, or maybe that Katniss came back smiling while she had left so disturbed. The smiling thing didn't last long when we returned.

I left them to their own devices while I went to finish my job. The nearest building had an empty third floor. I selected my perfect window and waited for Guto to appear. At the first sighting I would take him out. No need to wait for a crowd. I am not interested in drama; I have plenty of that to pass around.

Just as I expected Guto showed up early to prepare for what ever shin dig was going down. One shot, that is all I needed.

I got it. It was a perfect head shot. He went down without knowing what had happened. His attendants went to a frenzy. I didn't need to see more.

I left and reported my kill. The funds should be released tomorrow which is the day we should leave. Killing men had little effect on me anymore because my conscious had died along with the rebellion. At one point, my housekeeper had almost quit in disgust when she figured it out. I managed to settle her mind by explaining the differences between soldiers and murderers.

Back at the safehouse Katniss was there finishing up dinner. She had a look of extreme concentration as she poked whatever she was making on the hot plate. Peeta reclined on the bed. He was telling Katniss a story about his younger days in the bakery.

When dinner was ready we ate a surprisingly good combination of vegetables and pork medallions. It was charming on a red checkered plate.

I turned on the small television to watch the interdistrict news. There were several boring stories about a water shortage in the north and one about the mayor of District 9 giving out awards of valor.

"In other news tonight, the mysterious investigation into the burning of the famous Mellark house has discovered the couple was not among the dead found. A country wide search has been started for them. If you see Katniss Everdeen Mellark or Peeta Mellark please notify officials immediately," the anchor woman politely informed us. A cute picture of Katniss and Peeta appeared. "In this day and age, we are relying on you to help us find this curious couple."

"At least the picture won't really help find us," Peeta commented. "I'm bald now and Katniss hasn't been seen without a braid since she was in diapers. The new clothes make a world of difference."

I decided to take Katniss and Peeta to my favorite get away for a few days. It would let the crazy suspicion die down. Then we would be able to come on the offensive.

Katniss had her own bag now and it was already packed. So we did the dishes and left simply as that. We boarded the train to district four.

A/N: Thank you to my beta MiaCara. Please review


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